Combined lister-plow and planter.



PATENTED JAN. 28. 1906.

A. SHEARER. COMBINED LISTER PLOWAND PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 9.1908.

I Mrzvassrss:

17v L/EN Tn??? A D REV/SHEFV'FEI? soil over the seed deposited by mechanism hereinafter referred to and to pack it lightly at each side thereof. When the ground is dry, the sections can be run close together and press the soil firmly onto the seed, as the dirt will not adhere to the wheels. lVhen the ground is Wet and sticky, the sections can be set wider apart.

19 is the spring which supports seat 20 and is secured to portion 1 of the frame, and 21 is the transverse shaft or axle journa'led in bearings 22, secured upon portions 3 and 5 of the frame, said shaft being provided at its opposite ends with cranks 23 24, which project, by preference, in opposite directions, but which may extend at an angle to each other, if desired, and secured at the desired point on the horizontal portion of crank 23 by means of adjustable collars 25 is a wheel 26, a similar wheel 27 being mounted on the horizontal portion of crank 24 and held at the desired point by means of similar collars 25. By making provision for the lateral adjustment of the collars it is obvious that the distance between the rows can be readily determined and controlled by simply disposing the wheels the desired distance apart and then running one wheel in the last-made furrow. The travel of said wheel in the last-made furrow also insures parallelism of the rows, it being understood, of course, that the wheel which operates in the furrow (shown as 26 in this instance) must occupy a lower plane than the companion wheel, which runs upon the unbroken ground, this result being accomplished by the proper adjustment of the crank shaft or axle, as shown clearly in the drawings. The wheels are disposed about twice as far apart as those of the usual planter with the object of producing a machine which will not upset and whichwill run easier, and therefore plant at more uniform distances apart with greater comfort to the driver and-with less draft on the horses.

The crank shaft or axle is provided with a crank-arm 28, which projects forward and upward at an angle of about forty-five degrees when wheel 26 is depressed for operation in the furrows, and said crank-arm is pivotally connected by a link 29 with a lever 30, secured upon a short shaft 31 of a bearing 32 on the frame, a notched sector 33 being secured to the frame and adapted for engagement by the usual spring-actuated dog 34, carried by lever 30, such engagemcnt'locking the crank shaft or axle with the wheels 26 and 27 in the desired relation. If preferred, in lieu of the crank-arm 28 and lever Tniuy equip the axle with a cog-wheel 28 -and1nount on the frame a lever 30, formed with a toothed segment 3t)", engaging said cog-wheel, (see Fig. 3,) said lever being provided with suitable devices (not shown) to lock the axle against accidental rotation.

35 designates bearings secured, preferably,

to parts 5 of the frame and forming journals for the crank shaft or bail 36, the central portion of the same being journaled in the lugs 37, bolted to the beam 38 of the double-moldboard lister-pldw 39, the front end of the beam being also equipped with a bracket 40 for engagement bythe depending crank shaft or bail 41, having its ends journaled in bearings 42, secured to parts 5 of the frame. These two supportingdoails, while maintaining the plow in approximately a horizontal plane, permit it to play vertically to a limited extent or to be elevated to inoperative position when desired through the medium of the lever 43, mounted upon one end of crank shaft or bail 36 and provided with the usual catch for engagement with sector 44 to lock the lever in the desired osition.

The lower end of the p ow-beam is equipped with the usual cutter 45 (shown only in dotted lines) and above the same with a rear wardly-pro'ecting block 46, carrying a common subsoilcr 47, the cutter and subsoiler being in common use and well known. The block 46 is pivotally connected by links 48 to the block 49, secured to or forming a part of the seedbox 50. The shaft 51, adapted to be geared in such a manner as when turned to ell'ect the dropping of seed from the seedbox at proper intervals, a common and wellknown construction, is equipped with starwheels 52 at its ends, said star-wheels by the successive engagement of their points with the ground serving to impart the necessary rotation to shaft 51 for dropping the seed in the usualmanner through the seed-spout 53, coverers 54, depending from the seed box forcing the loose earth over the seed,which earth is subsequently packed lightly by means of the trailing caster, as hcreinbefere explained.

In the practical operation of the machine it will be a parent that the vertical play of the lister-p ow takes place without intcrfering with the proper operation of the seed mechanism because of the link connection between blocks 46 and 49, it being obvious that when the plow is raised to inoperative position the seeding mechanism, is also elevated, and in this connection it should be stated that said parts can be elevated sullicicntly high and moved far enough forward to permit the caster-wheel to turn clear around under the drill, this being necessary to permit backing of the machine while turning at the end of the row.

For working in gumbo or very hard ground the lister is equipped with a bracket 55, providcd with a, vertical series of holes 56, and an adjustable arm 57, slidable thereon and adapted to be secured at the desired point of adjustment by a pin or bolt 58, extending through the arm and one of said holes. The opposite end of said arm lils slidingly on rod 59, pivotally secured, by preference, to the' block 4!), as at 60, and equipped with a helical expansion-spring 61, which bears at its opposite ends against the said rod and the under side of said arm, the pressure of the said spring upon the drill being varied by proper adjustment of arm 57 on rod 59.

By the provision of a machine equipped with cranks set-at an angle to each other with the wheels mounted thereon the operator is enabled to simultaneously reverse the position of the wheels at the end of a trip across the field reliminary to his return to the opposite si( e of the fieldthat is to say,'lie respectively raises and lowers the wheel swhicli in the trip last completed traveled in the furrow and on the unbroken ground, so that on the return trip the wheel formerly in the furrow will travel on the unbroken ground and the other wheel in the furrow. This construction with the addition of the plow set -midway between the wheels and the latter twice as far apart as contiguous rows less the width of the bottom of the furrow insures parallelism of and e ual distance between all of the rows provide the machine is operated with one of said wheels in the last-made forrow. It iurthermore rovides a machine by which said rows shal? bear the relation to each other stated even though the driver is inexperienced and unskiliul, as all the latter has to do is to keep one wheel in the lastmade furrow. It will furthermore be noted that the comparatively great distance between the wheels makes it practically impossible for the machine to be overturned and,

furthermore, reduces the jolting to the minimum.-

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a combined 11sstruction, and arrangement of the parts with ter-plow and planterwhich, in addition to the various features of advanta e enumerated, is of sim is, strong, and durab e construction, and while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that it is susceptible of variation in the form, proportion, detail contherefrom, means to raise and lower the plow,

a transverse axle journaled in the frame and equal distances from and at op osite sides of the low, a caster supporting t e rear end of the rame and disposed in line with the plow,

and means to rotate said axle amLthereby simultaneously raise one and lower the other 0% its wheels without affecting the level of the ow. p 2. In a machine of the character described, a suitable frame, a listcr plow suspended therefrom, means to raise and lower the plow, a planting mechanism suitably supported in longitudinal alincnicnt with and rearward of the plow, a. transverse axle journalcd in the frame and provided at its ends with rigid cranks extendin at an angle to each other, wheels journals on said cranks at approximately equal distances from and at o posits sides of the plow, a caster supporting t e rear end of the frame and disposed in line with the low, and means to rotate said axle and therey simultaneously raise one and lower the other of its wheels without affecting the level of the plow.

3. In a machine of the character described,

a suitable frame, a transverse axle journulcd therein and provided pith cranks extending at an angle to each other, wheels jouriiulcd on said cranks and adjustable thereon lat orally of the frame, a tongue hinged to the front portion of the frame, and a caster. supporting the rear end of the frame.

4. In a machine of the character described, a suitable frame, a transverse axle journaled therein and provided with cranks extcndin at an angle to each other, wheels journals on saidcranks and ad'ustable thereon laterall of the frame,.col are mounted on said cran at opposite sides of each wheei, and adjustable laterall of the frame, to vary the distance between t 1e wheels, a tongue hinged to the front ortion of the frame, and a caster su porting t e rear end of the frame.

n testimony whereof I ailix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW Sl-IEARER. Witnesses:

GEO. B. HELCKER, E. F. AHERN. 

